RECOVERY: Kolisi now in race against time to prove fitness in bid to help South Africa defend Webb Ellis Cup in less than four months

By Sports Reporter

Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber have revealed that Siya Kolisi has been given “as much time as possible” to recover from knee surgery and lead the Springboks again.

The 31-year-old loose forward had an operation in April to repair a partial tear to his anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL) as well as injured meniscus on both sides of his knee.

He is now in a race against time to prove his fitness in order to help South Africa defend the Webb Ellis Cup in less than four months’ time.

As the Rugby Championship approaches, the South Africans find themselves facing a critical question regarding their captaincy options in the absence of Kolisi, but his participation at the global showpiece is arguably the more pressing concern.

The Boks will launch their World Cup defence on Sunday, 10 September, against Scotland in Marseille, after warm-up Tests against Argentina, Wales and New Zealand, and speaking in a media conference on Thursday, Erasmus and Nienaber addressed the availability and selection of Kolisi.

“In terms of where he has to be in terms of a recovery point of view, I think he is on track. There will be a couple of markers that on a specific day he needs to be there, and he needs to tick those boxes… But currently, he is on track in terms of his rehab,” Bok coach Nienaber told reporters.

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“[A return to play date] will be determined medically and whether he is ticking his markers. If we go back in 2019, Siya didn’t participate in any matches of the Rugby Championship [and] he also was carrying an injury. “Then we played him in an Argentina Test match off the bench, and his first start was against Japan, in Japan, for that warm-up game for the Rugby World Cup.

“If you look at that, I think Siya is a guy who has done it before and we will look at giving him as much time as possible, because history has shown us he is the type of guy who doesn’t need to play in Test matches before a World Cup, and then he comes and slot in and produce performances.”

SA’s director of rugby, Erasmus added: “We won’t replace him as captain, we’ll have stand-in captains because at this stage we’ll have three warm-ups. We are hoping, the way he is hitting his markers currently, that he will play in one of those matches.

“Even if he is not 100% ready for the Scotland Test match, it’s a long time until the final of the World Cup and being our captain, having been there and done that … he’s the kind of guy who can do it like he did at the last World Cup.- SA Rugby Magazine

A CAUSTIC SPURS BATTLE

play-offs: Daggers drawn as both teams fight for promotion to elite league

By  Masoja Cele

Although the curtain has come down on the 2022/23 Mistype Foundation Championship two brands Casric Stars and Cape Town Spurs will battle it out in the promotion and relegation mini-national league for the remaining slot to play in the lucrative DStv Premiership next season.

The match is scheduled for Sunday at Solomon Mahlangu Stadium, KwaMhlanga. Kick-off is at 15:00. Ultimate pace setters in the Motsepe Foundation Championship Spurs and Stars were at the end toppled by overall winners Polokwane City. Rise and Shine ruthlessly trounced Pretoria Callies 4-0 to clinch the title and the R5million prize monetary.

The Urban Warriors and Casric will be joined by the DStv Premiership relegated team Maritzburg United to contest for a home and away tussle to determine who will join City in the elite division in 2023/24 campaign.

Touted as favourites in last week matches Cape Town Spurs suffered a painful 1 all draw against University of Pretoria in the Western Cape while second favourites Casric Stars suffered the same fate with a 2 all draw at All Stars to finish third behind second place Spurs.

Needing a win against Mamelodi Sundowns in their last match of the campaign Maritzburg United clocked a 1 all draw against the DStv Premiership Champions. The team of Choice ended the season on 15th position with 30 points.

Back to the match, Stars with a dented image from last week disastrous display will go for a kill against Shaun Bartlett’s team at home.

Against, the Western Cape outfit Casric are faced with the equally wounded lion who came limping against the Tukkies last Sunday. A win for Stars will set them in the driving seat and pray for a win or a draw in their second match away to Pietermaritzburg based team on Wednesday evening with a 19:30 Kick-off time. In any football lingo the Mpumalanga ensemble need to grind the results if they harbour any lively hope of playing in the top league next season.

Casric boast quality in players like former Kaizer Chiefs midfielders Given Thibedi and Keletso Sifama to unlock the opposition defence with their cheeky approach. Stars technical team led by owner coach Bucs Mthombeni will have to dig deep down from their football reservoir to win the much anticipated tough duel.

With bruised egos, the Urban Warriors will want nothing but to restore their self-esteem. The agonising results that almost shattered their dream of playing in the elite league in the next campaign are a bitter pill to swallow. If the decay is not address properly it could have a negative impact in this fixture. Surely, Bartlett and his entourage have prepared the mental and physical strength of the playing personnel to face Casric.

Spurs were one to one favourites to clinch the promotion to the top league. However, they will now have to do it the hardest route through the play-offs. Nothing is guaranteed in the mini league.

If ready for the battle players like Orlando Pirates loanee Boitumelo Radiopane, Ashley Cupido, veteran campaigners Nazier Allie, Clayton Daniels and Michael Morton could win it for the Kaapstad boys.

Sports: 

Briefs

RABADA “BURNT OUT”     

Former Proteas bowlers Robin Peterson and Johan van der Wath are concerned about Kagiso Rabada’s performances in white-ball cricket. Rabada featured in just six matches for the Punjab Kings in this year’s IPL, taking seven wickets at an average of 33.14 and an economy rate of 10.08

“KG’s standard has levelled off in white-ball cricket in the past few years,” Van der Wath told Rapport newspaper. “He does not bowl with the same pace and penetration of earlier [in his career]. “It’s as if the fire in white-ball cricket just isn’t there anymore. He’s probably better than others at 80% [of his ability], but I’m still worried.”

Peterson, who coaches the EP Warriors, agreed with Van der Wath. “KG seems mentally burnt out to me. Maybe he plays too much cricket.”

MONYEPAO MEETS WITH
MASTERS AND LEGENDS

New SAFA CEO Ms Lydia Monyepao met with the South African Masters and Legends Football Association (SAMLFA) on Thursday (18 May 2023) and made a presentation on South Africa’s bid for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Monyepao, the former SAFA COO, was appointed as CEO on Monday (8 May 2023) taking over from predecessor Adv Tebogo Motlanthe, who quit the position with immediate effect due to personal reasons.

SAMLFA President Buddah Mathathe, who was accompanied by several former football players, congratulated Monyepao on her appointment as SAFA CEO and added that his organisation was prepared to fully support the bid. “You are one of us as a former player and a member of SAMLFA, and we want you to know that we are fully behind you and very proud,” Mathathe.

“We also want to thank SAFA for the continuous support that you have given us over the past 22 years, and also including us in events and projects. Many of our members have served the game on the field and also in this very office, and we want this relationship to continue.”

LEWIS CLOSE TO MERC AGREEMENT

Lewis Hamilton says he has not been in talks with Ferrari and he and Mercedes are close to agreeing a new contract to keep him at the team beyond this season. Hamilton’s deal with the Silver Arrows runs out at the end of this season.

He said he had a team working with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff on the new contract. Hamilton said Mercedes’ struggles to be competitive since 2022 “don’t have a bearing” on him wanting to stay, and added:

“This is the first time I have not been negotiating myself and I have a great team in the background doing all the work and I can focus on the job. I say what I want and that’s what we’re working towards.”

BLACK ATHLETES “GOOD”
BECAUSE OF BURGLARIES

FORMER England Athletics director Julian Starkey has been hit with a three-year ban from the organisation after saying black athletes make good runners “because they have to escape burglaries”.  Starkey, 62, was accused of making the comment last November at a Sporting Equals Leadership event.

The subsequent investigation found that he had made the alleged comments after being asked about the drop off in participation rates among ethnically diverse athletes.

He is claimed to have responded: “Usually when athletes start to be more specific in events, most black athletes tend to edge towards sprinting and hurdling … the blacks are all good at running because they have to get away from their burglaries.”

NO CHELSEA GOODBYE FOR LAMPARD

Chelsea’s defeat at Manchester United on Thursday was their 22nd in all competitions this season, their most in a single campaign since 1978-79 Frank Lampard says “he will never feel like he is saying goodbye” to Chelsea as he prepares for the final game of his second spell in charge.

Lampard’s short-term contract expires at the end of the season and a deal is in place for former Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino to take over in the summer.

“I will be back at Chelsea many times,” said the former Blues midfielder.  “I’m quite calm about it and not too nostalgic.”

Published on the 100th Edition

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